Hello AllJust some feedback about a recent O/S trip.Flew from Gold Coast to Tokyo with Jetstar. I took my Giant Upland and packed it in a Torpedo Bike Bag. Followed the standard instructions for packing a bike ( did not let the tyres down though).Got to the check-in counter, all luggage weighed and my bike taken to oversize area.Arrived Narita, bike waiting.Got to M-in-L's house, next day put it all together. No problems.Return, similar procedure.We had total of 4 bags to check-in. Weight was 55kg on way out, back 61kg but not charged for being 1kg over.I am pretty sure we would have been charged if more than a few kgs over.I fly to Hawaii in a couple of months and would love to take the bike but we spend most of the time on The Big Island which requires a transfer in a baby plane. I doubt they would be happy with the bike bag. Will look into it.All da bestYama

Flights b/n Honolulu and the Big Island are typically on 737s or similar, so a bike box would be no problem. But be warned that US luggage handlers are typically a lot rougher than Japanese and Australian handlers and it would be wise to pad your bike out a little better than your last trip.

My girlfriend, her dad and I flew Melb->Perth return through Qantas for Cape to Cape weekend before last.

We paid an extra $35 or so each way per bike (we had 3) and everything went off without a hitch. We were all well under the weight limit (even with 2 hard cases) and we didnt have any issues with damaged cases or bikes. I was slightly worried about having our bikes checked for cleanliness on the way back, since we went straight for the finish line to the airport, but after a quick bomb check they moved us straight through.

We did have issues with c02 cannisters though, Melbourne airport allowed us 5 per person as long as they were taped together but Perth airport would only allow 2 per person under their personal flotation device ruling (Which is madness, if you ask me)

sogood wrote:Flights b/n Honolulu and the Big Island are typically on 737s or similar, so a bike box would be no problem. But be warned that US luggage handlers are typically a lot rougher than Japanese and Australian handlers and it would be wise to pad your bike out a little better than your last trip.

flew SYD->CNS->SYD with my crosser in a ground effects tardis a few months back. survived relatively unscathed. one of the discs took a knock which i massaged out and i got a few nicks in the carbon forks because something was rattling against it, but otherwise ok.

bike + gear + clothes for a week all in just under 20kg so 4 of us (2 adults, 2 kids) travelled with carry on luggage only + my 20kg allowance and it was no biggie.

Jetstar is dead easy. Just figure out how much weight you'll be taking and pay online first. Way cheaper that way. Don't feed their business model. So to get all the way from Hobart to Sapporo and return with 80kg of luggage cost us $276. When an extra 5kg is $10 why not get an extra bit and buy some more crap from Daiso...

You were lucky to get away without letting down the tyres coming out of Narita, they checked ours from NAR to CTS, CTS to NAR, and then again NAR to MEL, plus three lots of checking the tool bag for oil and sniffing the fuel bottle (which I have an annual letter now from QF/JQ)

I'm with Trevtassie on this regarding JetStar - having returned from a lovely GC trip last week. I added 20Kg of luggage each way, PRIOR to the day, for a grand total of $50 and put the bike through without any worries whatsoever.

I did see a bloke at check-in get charged $80 extra for a set of golf clubs, which vindicated my pre-planning.

They looked after my bike no worries and it was great to be riding my own bike up there.

Jetstar is basic. But on my limited experience they are less stingy on luggage than Qantas show themselves to be.

I arrived and checked in on a Qantas flight, traveling light with my combined luggage and unicycle well within my allowed weight limit. Got a nasty shock then when I had to pay something like $34 "fee" just because I had a second item for the hold.

On Jetstar they only ever worry about the total weight of hold luggage.

(Stuff Qantas! On the return flight I strapped the unicycle to my backpack. And I continue to anytime I now fly with them. I hope it causes them all manner of grief as it is a much more awkward package to deal with. )

ColinOldnCranky wrote:Jetstar is basic. But on my limited experience they are less stingy on luggage than Qantas show themselves to be.

I arrived and checked in on a Qantas flight, traveling light with my combined luggage and unicycle well within my allowed weight limit. Got a nasty shock then when I had to pay something like $34 "fee" just because I had a second item for the hold.

On Jetstar they only ever worry about the total weight of hold luggage.

(Stuff Qantas! On the return flight I strapped the unicycle to my backpack. And I continue to anytime I now fly with them. I hope it causes them all manner of grief as it is a much more awkward package to deal with. )

Are you sure about that viewpoint??

Justchecking for flights to NZ. Jetstar flights are all 23kgs of checked luggage; Qantas are all 30kgs.

I flew with Qantas to and from Alice Springs. We knew we'd go over their luggage limit for the flight of 23kg IIRC for domestic (carrying a comprehensive camping kit for remote touring) so pre-booked an extra item of 23kgs, for about an extra $20 or so.

ColinOldnCranky wrote:Jetstar is basic. But on my limited experience they are less stingy on luggage than Qantas show themselves to be.

I arrived and checked in on a Qantas flight, traveling light with my combined luggage and unicycle well within my allowed weight limit. Got a nasty shock then when I had to pay something like $34 "fee" just because I had a second item for the hold.

On Jetstar they only ever worry about the total weight of hold luggage.

(Stuff Qantas! On the return flight I strapped the unicycle to my backpack. And I continue to anytime I now fly with them. I hope it causes them all manner of grief as it is a much more awkward package to deal with. )

Are you sure about that viewpoint??

Justchecking for flights to NZ. Jetstar flights are all 23kgs of checked luggage; Qantas are all 30kgs.

I flew with Qantas to and from Alice Springs. We knew we'd go over their luggage limit for the flight of 23kg IIRC for domestic (carrying a comprehensive camping kit for remote touring) so pre-booked an extra item of 23kgs, for about an extra $20 or so.

Perhaps "sneaky" may have been a better description. They managed to sneak in a charge. It may be in the fine print somewhere but it relies on moi being caught because it is unexpected. The occasional other airlines I've occasionally used here and in Europe and Africa in recent times have not levied a charge for a second item in the hold. "Sneaky" is gonna lose me as a customer faster than clearly expected "stingy" allowances.

ColinOldnCranky wrote:Perhaps "sneaky" may have been a better description. They managed to sneak in a charge. It may be in the fine print somewhere but it relies on moi being caught because it is unexpected.

robsta wrote:... Jetstar ...I am pretty sure we would have been charged if more than a few kgs over.

Yes, Jetstar is the only airline ever to have charged me extra to take a bike. In fact, they had a queue of people lining up to pay excess baggage charges. Very strict due to the budget airfares.

Know the baggage rules and print out a copy just in case the baggage/check-in attendant does not know them. They have a job to do - that is what they are paid for - but as humans they sometimes do not know the airline rules all that well (from my experience). Some airlines allow discretion and some do not.

I last flew Jetstar in 2006 (Darwin-Melbourne) on a circle Australia and RT combo ticket from Canada to OZ. Jetstar (in 2006) said I did not have to pay for by bicycle stuff as XS baggage - as long as everything was in bicycle boxes. Then they used "their discretion" to give me 3 bike boxes free of charge - and tape and scissors. However, on the way from SYD to Canada Qantas charged me $150 AUD for XS baggage. I was VERY happy with paying that fee.

No bastards. I knew they were following rules and I had to pay. In Darwin Jetstar looked the other way. Now (2015) that I have OW "status" I still pay AUD for XS baggage, but QF check-in staff do give me the best seats they can find for me.

I always follow the rule" Be Nice to the Mice". Same thing with the Australian railway system. Rant mode off

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